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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, October 18, 2025

Pips #62 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Heidi Erwin · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · Hard by Heidi Erwin

Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? Below are three progressive hints for each difficulty, then the full solution as a tap-to-reveal board. Hints first — the answer only when you want it.

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Easy Pips answer — October 18, 2025

4×4 board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Easy today is a 4×4 board with 5 dominoes and 6 regions. Rules on the board: 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the pair at row 2, column 1 adds to 9; list the ways to make 9 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 1 double, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 3–5 domino with its 3 at row 1, column 3 and its 5 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–6 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 2, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: >4 must add up to more than 4; = must all be the same number; 9 must add up to 9; <4 must add up to less than 4; <3 must add up to less than 3.

>4
=
9
<4
<3
Solution as text
  1. 3–2 — 3 at row 3, column 2, 2 at row 4, column 2
  2. 3–3 — 3 at row 2, column 3, 3 at row 2, column 4
  3. 3–4 — 3 at row 3, column 3, 4 at row 4, column 3
  4. 3–5 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 5 at row 1, column 2
  5. 3–6 — 3 at row 2, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 2

Medium Pips answer — October 18, 2025

6×8 board · 12 dominoes · 14 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

12 dominoes, 14 regions, a 6×8 grid — that's the medium puzzle for October 18, 2025. You're working with 6 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 5 free regions. The two-cell region at row 4, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. After that, the "=" region starting at row 3, column 2 has 4 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 5 doubles, 3 blank halves, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 4, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. That's the 6–6 domino, or two 6s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–6 domino with its 6 at row 4, column 1 and its 6 at row 5, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–3 goes at row 3, column 2 → row 4, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: >4 must add up to more than 4; = must all be the same number; 12 must add up to 12; 0 must add up to 0; 10 must add up to 10.

>4
=
12
0
10
10
2
<4
10
Solution as text
  1. 4–2 — 4 at row 6, column 3, 2 at row 6, column 4
  2. 1–4 — 1 at row 5, column 8, 4 at row 5, column 7
  3. 6–0 — 6 at row 5, column 6, 0 at row 4, column 6
  4. 3–1 — 3 at row 6, column 2, 1 at row 6, column 1
  5. 0–0 — 0 at row 4, column 7, 0 at row 4, column 8
  6. 5–5 — 5 at row 6, column 5, 5 at row 6, column 6
  7. 6–6 — 6 at row 4, column 1, 6 at row 5, column 1
  8. 6–3 — 6 at row 5, column 3, 3 at row 5, column 2
  9. 5–2 — 5 at row 2, column 4, 2 at row 2, column 5
  10. 4–4 — 4 at row 1, column 3, 4 at row 1, column 4
  11. 3–3 — 3 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 4, column 2
  12. 1–6 — 1 at row 6, column 8, 6 at row 6, column 7

Hard Pips answer — October 18, 2025

8×6 board · 12 dominoes · 10 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The hard board runs 8 rows by 6 columns: 12 dominoes to place across 10 regions. The mix is 5 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the "=" pair at row 8, column 5 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves, 7 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 1–0 domino with its 1 at row 4, column 3 and its 0 at row 4, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–4 goes at row 8, column 5 → row 8, column 6. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: ≠ must all be different; 8 must add up to 8; 29 must add up to 29; 0 must add up to 0; 3 must add up to 3.

≠
8
29
0
3
>3
7
=
Solution as text
  1. 4–1 — 4 at row 7, column 6, 1 at row 6, column 6
  2. 1–0 — 1 at row 4, column 3, 0 at row 4, column 2
  3. 1–6 — 1 at row 5, column 4, 6 at row 4, column 4
  4. 0–6 — 0 at row 6, column 4, 6 at row 6, column 5
  5. 6–6 — 6 at row 2, column 4, 6 at row 3, column 4
  6. 6–2 — 6 at row 3, column 1, 2 at row 3, column 2
  7. 6–4 — 6 at row 4, column 5, 4 at row 5, column 5
  8. 5–6 — 5 at row 3, column 6, 6 at row 3, column 5
  9. 4–4 — 4 at row 8, column 5, 4 at row 8, column 6
  10. 2–5 — 2 at row 5, column 3, 5 at row 6, column 3
  11. 4–2 — 4 at row 1, column 3, 2 at row 1, column 4
  12. 0–5 — 0 at row 2, column 3, 5 at row 3, column 3

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